<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Long Overdue by Jathis</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28675752">Long Overdue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis'>Jathis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sofia the First (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Oil Gland Kink, Wing Oil, Wingfic, Wings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:49:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28675752</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baileywick takes matters into his own hands when he becomes tired of how unkempt Cedric’s wings were.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baileywick/Cedric the Sorcerer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Long Overdue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Conversation among castle staff tended to stop whenever the royal sorcerer walked by. The staff consisted mostly of sparrows, pigeons, and starlings; all of them small in comparison to the royal sorcerer. The black swan was known for being incredibly moody, more so than others with those kinds of wings usually were. He didn’t keep them folded properly and if his wing bumped into someone else it was their fault and not his.</p><p>Despite his act of being prideful, his wings were a mess. They were badly rumbled and ruffled, several feathers sticking up at odd angles and split in half. Pin feathers stayed far longer than was normal and it was not uncommon to be able to find him by following the trail of dust and dead feathers he dropped. It was obvious that oil had never been used on them, leaving them dull.</p><p>“I cannot order someone to preen their feathers,” Roland once sighed when a guest complained about Cedric’s appearance. The golden eagle glanced over at the subject of conversation, shaking his head. “Besides, it takes more than one to preen properly and I find it very unlikely that someone would volunteer to do such a thing with him.”</p><p>Baileywick watched as Cedric moved through the kitchen like some kind of storm cloud. The sorcerer collected some food and left without a word. He left a trail of dust and broken feathers behind him and the steward sighed and gestured for some staff to clean the floor.</p><p>Someone needed to do something about Cedric and his wings.</p><p>***</p><p>Cedric was coming back from purchasing some ingredients he needed for a vitality potion in the village. He flew straight to his tower, landing on the windowsill. He pushed the window open and slid inside, mumbling to himself about the recipe he needed to use.</p><p>“Cedric.”</p><p>The sorcerer spread his wings out wide in alarm, knocking over a shelf and a few chairs. He slowly calmed when he saw it was only Baileywick and he let out a soft hiss as he folded his wings. “This is my workshop, sparrow!”</p><p>Baileywick made a point of looking around the disorganized room. “I am very much aware,” he said.</p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p>“You’re getting your wings preened today.”</p><p>He wrinkled his nose, crossing his arms over his chest. “Who says?” he demanded.</p><p>“His Majesty is very tired of being embarrassed because of your sloppy appearance. I have decided to take it upon myself to assist you in the process.”</p><p>“I don’t need help!”</p><p>“That’s not what your wings say.”</p><p>He pouted, gesturing to the door behind Baileywick. “Get out!”</p><p>“Not until I’ve completed what I came here to do.” The sparrow royal steward held his ground as Cedric surged forward, spreading his wings out to try and look intimidating as he hissed at him. “I have all day to wait, Cedric.”</p><p>The black swan deflated when the sparrow refused to give an inch. “Fine!” he finally cried, throwing his hands up in surrender. “As long as you’re gone once you’re finished!”</p><p>“But of course,” he promised. He looked around the workshop, shaking his head. “We need to go somewhere else.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because this room is a mess and I need to be able to properly preen you.” Baileywick watched as Cedric mentally argued with himself, smirking when he finally nodded. “Come along then.”</p><p>***</p><p>The castle had several large rooms dedicated solely for wing grooming and communal preening. Wing oils, brushes, and even bandages for broken blood feathers sat on shelves.</p><p>“Take off your robe, vest, and shirt,” Baileywick instructed. He pointed to a large cushion on the floor. “Lay down and rest your head on that.”</p><p>“I know how preening works,” he muttered, undressing as instructed.</p><p>“Do you indeed? Could have fooled me.”</p><p>He blushed as he laid down, spreading his wings out when Baileywick gestured for him to do so. “Mummy always helped,” he murmured.</p><p>Baileywick collected everything he would need and sat down beside Cedric on the floor. “No one else?” he asked. Cedric shrugged and Baileywick found himself feeling sorry for the black swan. Cedric always kept himself isolated from everyone else but he also knew that no one thought of inviting him when a communal preen was happening. Doing it alone was a very alienating experience for most.</p><p>No wonder he just gave up on his wing grooming.</p><p>“I’m going to brush them out first,” he said as he picked up a comb. He pressed the teeth to the top of Cedric’s left wing and he blinked when the other flinched at the touch. “Does it hurt?” he asked.</p><p>“No...just forgot what it felt like,” Cedric murmured, blushing as he kept his wings spread. He closed his eyes when Baileywick ran the comb through his feathers, biting back a moan as old pieces of pin feathers and dry skin finally fell away. The royal steward made sure to move slowly, making sure he got every inch of Cedric’s wings, the pile of dust, old dried up blood, and broken feathers growing as he went. It was tantamount to someone having severe dandruff and leaving it to build up before finally washing their hair.</p><p>Cedric had tried to preen himself but his wings were far too big to do it all himself and the idea of asking for help terrified him. How could he know someone would help? What if they tried to hurt him or break his wings? No, it was better to just leave them be rather than constantly remember how alone he was.</p><p>“That should be all of it,” Baileywick murmured. He set to work using his hands to go through Cedric’s feathers. He was able to fix most of them but the ones he could not salvage he had to pluck. He watched the way Cedric’s wings trembled and he knew it was out of relief. They had been filthy for far too long. They soon started to fluff out as he touched the sensitive skin beneath and he worked on the downy and under feathers with his hands.</p><p>“...do you want me to touch your preen gland?” he softly asked.</p><p>“I…”</p><p>“I have artificial bottled preen oil too,” he assured him.</p><p>“...you can touch it,” Cedric murmured. He held his breath as Baileywick slid his hand down, stopping at the small of his back. The sparrow massaged around the long neglected gland first, easing off the dried blood and skin that had formed a thick scab over it.</p><p>Once the tip of the gland was clear, Baileywick pressed two fingers against it.</p><p>“Merlin’s mushrooms!” Cedric shrieked. He kicked out with a foot, clutching at the cushion under his head.</p><p>“It’s overly sensitive from not being used,” Baikeywick explained, dodging the kick from the other. He continued to press down, collecting the discolored oil and putting it in a bowl. “I have to clear out all of this bad oil before it will come out clear again and become usable. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Cedric?”</p><p>The sorcerer whimpered, burying his face in the cushion. Tears burned in his eyes. His wings were so sensitive and felt so much lighter! He had not felt like this in years, not since...</p><p>“You stopped after the queen died,” he said. He knew he had gotten it correct when Cedric froze up. He continued to push against the gland and he smiled as the oil slowly started to come out clear instead of a sickly yellowish color. </p><p>He cleaned up the old oil and washed his hands before he finally straddled Cedric’s back. “Ready?” he asked.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>The sparrow coated his hands in Cedric’s wing oil and set to work running his fingers through newly cleaned feathers. He avoided using his nails, noting the small patches of red irritated skin under the wings. That would clear up in time now that proper care was being taken.</p><p>“You have beautiful wings, Cedric. You should not let them get into such a state again. Come to me and I will preen them for you whenever you need it,” he promised.</p><p>Cedric didn’t respond. He lay with his eyes half-lidded, enjoying the sensation of Baileywick taking care of his wings. He blinked when the hands were suddenly gone and he pushed himself up, looking over his shoulder. “Finished?”</p><p>“Finished,” Baileywick agreed. He smiled as Cedric sat up, his wings folding properly against his back for the first time in years. He pushed himself onto his feet and collected the used tools to have them washed. “I must ensure the castle is being properly cared for. I shall see you around, Cedric.”</p><p>“Baileywick?”</p><p>He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the black swan. “Yes?”</p><p>“Did you mean it when you said you would groom them again if I asked?”</p><p>“Of course.” He watched as Cedric blushed and he smiled, bowing to him once before taking his leave.</p><p>The next time there was a need for a communal preening among the castle inhabitants, everyone was surprised to find Cedric tending to Baileywick’s wings.</p><p>Everyone except Baileywick and Cedric.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>